Method and apparatus for printing variable letterpress



Sept. 29, 1931. a. CORSE "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR'PRIN'I'ING VARIABLE LETTERP'RESS Filed July 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet -1 In rerf v (a m6 mm 60,372 COISC- G. CORSE Sept. 29, 1931.

'HETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING VARIABLE LETTERPRESS Filed July 14, 1927 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllnvllllllln 'II/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII) a W M Sept. 29, 1931. e. coRsE. 1,325,510

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING VARIABLE LETTERPRESS Filed July 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ewe/172k G. CORSE Sept. 29, 1931.

METHODAND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING VARIABLE LETTERPRESS Filed July 14; 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 (UNITED STATES PA N OFFICE ens'ron coasn, or PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB TO n'mnnrssnmnms L. GHAMBON, or

Y PARIS, FRANCE METHOD D APPAIQATUS FOR PRINTING VARIABLE LE'J.'J'EEXRPRIESS Application filed July 14, 1927, Serial No. 205,700, and in Germany August 19, 1926.

The present invention relates to a process and a machine for printing texts of variable composition; use is made of movable printing blocks prepared on the linotype or other means; these blocks are removed (or lifted) by lifting hooks, transported by a carriage, then inserted by fixing hooks into longitudinal grooves located at the periphery of a drum; this drum, on rotating, produces the printing.

An object of the invention is to provide a drum having longitudinal grooves therein in which the printing blocks may be automatically placed and removed and which blocks can cooperate with any type of platen.

The main purposeof the invention is to provide reliable and simple means for the removal and emplacement of the printing blocks in the drum.

By way of example and to facilitate explanation of the specification, an embodi ment of the invention has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an elevation,-the machine being,

assumed as bisected through a vertical plane along its longitudinal axis (section along the axis II of Fig. 2),

. Fig. 2 is a vertical section along line 11-11 of Fig. 1 and viewed at the rightof this figure,

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the carriage, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same carriage, Fig. 5 shows in ers ecti'veview the lifting and fixing hool s 0 the printing blocks,

Fig. 6 is an end view of the drum car- 'rying the blocks,

Fig. 7 is a view of the Maltese (Geneva) cross whichv actuates the drum, v

Fig. 8 shows the gear train which assures operation of the machine.

The apparatus shown is intended to print on sheets of paper, by means of printing blocks such as 1 (Fig. 1) which comprise characters 2 in relief; these blocks are obtained, for example, on linotype or similar machines. The blocks pass to the machine (or press) on a conveyorband-3 which moves in the direction of the arrow 4. Mounted on the axis 5 of the cylinder 6 which drives the conveyor 4 is a toothed wheel 7 (Fig. 8)

band 3 a jerky movement, so that the blocks 1 are pushed to the left of Fig. 1 by regular intervals.

At the end of the conveyor 3 the blocks I slide on the member 12 and pass into the position 13 opposite the hooks 1 1; these hooks, called lifting hooks, are two in number (Fig. 5)- and the distance which separates them is equal to the length of a block; they comprise horizontal grooves 15, 16 in which the printing blocks may pass. The hooks 1 1 are carried. on the end of levers 17, 18 pivoting on the axis 19. Thecam 20 acting on the roller 21' causes the raising of the hooks 14 which pass into the position shown on Fig. 1. On the contrary, when the roller 21 is not opposite the swell (or boss) 22 of cam 20, the grooves 15, 16 of hooks 14: are just at the level of the last block 13 resting on the member 12.

At a given moment, through the action of pawl 8, the conveyor band 3 advances and pushes the blocks; block 13 advances toward the left and its ends penetrate into grooves 15, 16 of lifting hooks 14. At this momentthe cam 20 which rotates in thedirection of the arrow 23 raises the levers 17, 18 so that the block comes at 24, into the position shown on Fig. 1.

In thismovement the block penetrates between the arms of the two members25, 26 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) which have an inverted U-shape. These two members form partof an assemblage which we hereinafter call the carriage and which is constructed as-follows. The U-shaped members 25, 26 are mounted on tworods 27; these rods are attached by their'ends to the slide 28, 29 which may be moved in the sliding paths 30, 31. Movement of the carriage is effected through the rods 32, the lever andthe roller 34: which bears on cam 35.

In the position of the figures the cam 35, which rotates in the direction of the arrow 36, acts on roller'34, so that the carriage. moves to the left of Fig. 1. In" this movement the carriage entrains the block 24 toward the left and brings it into the grooves of the fixing hooks 37, described hereinafter; it is to be noted that the width of the rooves is equal to the thickness of the bloc s. In the interval between the lifting hooks 14 and the fixin hooks 37 the block is supported at its en s on the trapezoidal members 38'shown on Fi s. 1 and 3.

The printin block is then a xed on the cylinder or rum 39 which carries the blocks, and which rotates insuch manner that each block prints on a sheet of paper such as 40; the pressure of the sheet of paper 40 against the blocks upon the drum 39 is accomplished by the table 41 hin ed at 72; this table is moved by means of t e two eccentrics 71 mounted upon the shaft 70. The

shaft 70 is rotated by. a gear 68 in mesh with a worm gear 69. The block drum 39 is a hollow cylinder keyed on the shaft 42 by means of key 43. This cylinder has eight grooves on its periphery such as the grooves 44, in which the blocks are afiixed; For this purpose each end of drum 39 is provided with eight hooks 37, 45 (Fig. 6) which are at the right of grooves 44. These hooks are mounted respectively on a rod 46 carrying at its end a roller 47. On the other hand there are ruption in. which a groove segment 50,

trapezoidal in form, may slide. This groove segment 50, (Fig. 5) is attached-to levers the bottom of 17, 18 which support the lifting hooks 14, one of these levers is shown in dotted lines on Fig. 6. When these levers 17, 18 are raised (position of Fig. 6) the fixin hook 37 is also raised as shown on the gures; when the levers 17, 18 lower they carry downward the segments 50 and the hooks 37. While the fixing hooks 37 were raised the carriage has brought the block from position 24 to position 51; in this position the ends of the block are engaged in the grooves 52 of hooks 37; thus, when the hooks are lowered the block 51 is applied against groove 44. Drum 39 then rotates in the direction of the arrow 53 so that roller 54 passes from segment 50 and passes into the groove proper 48. From this moment it cannot change its position and the block thus remains fixed at the bottom of the groove for a complete revolution of drum 3 Rotation of drum 39 is assured in the following manner: keyed on the axis 42is a Maltese cross wheel (Geneva gear) 55, having 8 grooves (Figs. 2 and 7) this wheel is driven at regular intervals by the finger 56 mounted on the shaft 57; this shaft is itself driven by the wheel 58 which meshes with the other gears of the machine as shown on Fig. 8. In this manner the drum remains stationary while the hook 37 moves and when the latter has come to its normal position, that is, when the block 5l is fixed at the bottom of groove 44, the drum 39 makes an eighth of a revolution, so that it comes into position for the insertion of a new block in the following hooks.

It is to be noted that the arms 59 of the U-shaped members 26, 25 are rectangular; in this manner, when the carriage moves to the left carrying along a block such as 24, the arms 59 come in contact with the block 51 which is afiixed on the drum during a complete revolution of the latter; said arms 59 (Fig. 1) push the block 51, which has already been used, into the position 60, so that the next block may enter freely into the grooves 52 of the hooks 37; the block 60 which passes out. pushes the blocks precedingly ejected; the latter slide on member 61 and pass from the machine.

The other elements of the machine are driven in the following manner: The cams 20 and 35 are mounted respectively on the shafts 62 and 63; keyed on shaft 62 is a gear wheel 64 meshing with a wheel 65 keyed on the shaft 63; wheel 65 meshes with a wheel 66 which is driven by the gear 58, which rotates constantly. The wheel 66 is keyed to the same shaft 67 as the cam 9 which actuates the conveyor 3.

It is of course apparent that various modifications and changes may be made in the above described apparatus, but it.is intended to include within the scope of this invention all such changes and modifications as will come within the spirit of the following claims;

I claim:

1. In. a machine for printing by means of printing blocks the combination of a drum, having grooves on the eri hery thereof, hooks located at the end; of said grooves having recesses therein substantially equal to the thickness of the blocks, means for raising the two books located at the ends of the same longitudinal groove, means for introducing a block into said recesses when said two hooks are in raised position, means for lowering said two hooks so as to position said block in said recesses in said groove, and means for intermittently rotating said drum to bring said block to rinting position.

2. A machine accor ing to claim 1 in which there is provided at each end of the drum a fixed groove, rollers in said last men- 3. A machine according to claim in which a carriage is provided which introduces the printing blocks into the grooves of hooks when the latter are raised.

4. A machine according to claim- 1 in which inverted U-shaped members are provided which carry the printing blocks tosaid recesses in said hooks, and lifting hooks which raise the blocks so as to enter into the arms of said inverted U-members.

5. A machine according to claim 1 in which a sliding carriage is provided, and means for reciprocating said carriage so as to insert a block in said recesses.

6. A machine according to claim 1 in which means are provided for, removing a block held in said recesses when said hooks I are raised.

Signed at Paris, this 5th day ofJuly,1927. v I GASTON CORSE. 

